Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment

Autophagy is a catabolic process responsible for the degradation and recycling of long-lived proteins and organelles by lysosomes. This degradative pathway sustains cell survival during nutrient deprivation, but in some circumstances, autophagy leads to cell death. Thereby, autophagy can serve as t...

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Main Authors: Damian E. Berardi, Paola B. Campodónico, Maria Ines Díaz Bessone, Alejandro J. Urtreger, Laura B. Todaro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2011-01-01
Series:International Journal of Breast Cancer
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/595092
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spelling doaj-7a04aebf49384c008e75046be0e0ed482020-11-24T21:03:50ZengHindawi LimitedInternational Journal of Breast Cancer2090-31892011-01-01201110.4061/2011/595092595092Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and TreatmentDamian E. Berardi0Paola B. Campodónico1Maria Ines Díaz Bessone2Alejandro J. Urtreger3Laura B. Todaro4Research Area, Institute of Oncology “Angel H. Roffo”, University of Buenos Aires, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, ArgentinaResearch Area, Institute of Oncology “Angel H. Roffo”, University of Buenos Aires, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, ArgentinaResearch Area, Institute of Oncology “Angel H. Roffo”, University of Buenos Aires, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, ArgentinaResearch Area, Institute of Oncology “Angel H. Roffo”, University of Buenos Aires, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, ArgentinaResearch Area, Institute of Oncology “Angel H. Roffo”, University of Buenos Aires, C1417DTB Buenos Aires, ArgentinaAutophagy is a catabolic process responsible for the degradation and recycling of long-lived proteins and organelles by lysosomes. This degradative pathway sustains cell survival during nutrient deprivation, but in some circumstances, autophagy leads to cell death. Thereby, autophagy can serve as tumor suppressor, as the reduction in autophagic capacity causes malignant transformation and spontaneous tumors. On the other hand, this process also functions as a protective cell-survival mechanism against environmental stress causing resistance to antineoplastic therapies. Although autophagy inhibition, combined with anticancer agents, could be therapeutically beneficial in some cases, autophagy induction by itself could lead to cell death in some apoptosis-resistant cancers, indicating that autophagy induction may also be used as a therapy. This paper summarizes the most important findings described in the literature about autophagy and also discusses the importance of this process in clinical settings.http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/595092
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Damian E. Berardi
Paola B. Campodónico
Maria Ines Díaz Bessone
Alejandro J. Urtreger
Laura B. Todaro
spellingShingle Damian E. Berardi
Paola B. Campodónico
Maria Ines Díaz Bessone
Alejandro J. Urtreger
Laura B. Todaro
Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
International Journal of Breast Cancer
author_facet Damian E. Berardi
Paola B. Campodónico
Maria Ines Díaz Bessone
Alejandro J. Urtreger
Laura B. Todaro
author_sort Damian E. Berardi
title Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
title_short Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
title_full Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
title_fullStr Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
title_full_unstemmed Autophagy: Friend or Foe in Breast Cancer Development, Progression, and Treatment
title_sort autophagy: friend or foe in breast cancer development, progression, and treatment
publisher Hindawi Limited
series International Journal of Breast Cancer
issn 2090-3189
publishDate 2011-01-01
description Autophagy is a catabolic process responsible for the degradation and recycling of long-lived proteins and organelles by lysosomes. This degradative pathway sustains cell survival during nutrient deprivation, but in some circumstances, autophagy leads to cell death. Thereby, autophagy can serve as tumor suppressor, as the reduction in autophagic capacity causes malignant transformation and spontaneous tumors. On the other hand, this process also functions as a protective cell-survival mechanism against environmental stress causing resistance to antineoplastic therapies. Although autophagy inhibition, combined with anticancer agents, could be therapeutically beneficial in some cases, autophagy induction by itself could lead to cell death in some apoptosis-resistant cancers, indicating that autophagy induction may also be used as a therapy. This paper summarizes the most important findings described in the literature about autophagy and also discusses the importance of this process in clinical settings.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.4061/2011/595092
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AT alejandrojurtreger autophagyfriendorfoeinbreastcancerdevelopmentprogressionandtreatment
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